Âży esta rosa?
2025, oil on canvas, 15 x 30 inches
the passion of a rose. the miraculous growth and inevitable decay. as I created this painting, I was thinking about the death of my grandfather in 2020. I was in Mexico in 2021 for his cabo de año, in which everyone from my mothers hometown congregated at my grandmothers house and prayed in unison for his soul. His altar was adorned with hundreds of flowers, red roses in particular, many of which were brought in our procession to the cemetery, where my dad offered me and the caballeros a shot of tequila. I had captured many images, knowing that I wanted to create a painting based off this memory, and when the time came to it, there wasnt any direct depiction symbolic enough to describe the altering nature of this event.
I decided to paint a single rose, on a flesh toned background. im interested in universal symbolism, images that connect us all, and encapsulate the spectrum of human emotions. a rose can bring about feelings of both love and grief. those times you’re flirting with a lover, those times your friends and family come out to cheer you on, to the moments after you’ve left this earth, and your loved ones remember to leave roses on top of your body, which was once living, but similarly to a rose—energy that returns to the earth. a spirit that lives forever.
Very thankful to have shown this painting
@kapowgallery with
@bolsterarts last month, and I love that this piece acts as the perfect introduction for whats to come with my work this next year. Words I liked to describe my vibe last year were: timeless, elegant, chic, and we’re amping those up even more this time around. Sending so much love always, and so much strength.
